A media veteran's look at what's right with what we write, read, hear and see, and what's dreadfully wrong.

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Going Gently Into The Good Night With Christopher Glenn

One Of Radio's Great Voices Has Been StilledBeyond the sadness over the unexpected passing of Christopher Glenn at age 68, I was surprised to hear he had died of liver cancer. Same would go for anyone who worked with him at CBS.For Chris loved his cigarettes, which he would puff away prodigiously in Studio 3 of the CBS Broadcast Center -- when that was still allowed -- while doing "The World Tonight." Sometimes, he might even take a drag before telling his listeners about the latest warning about smoking from the Surgeon General.Later, when smoking was verboten inside the building, Chris would waste no time scurrying outside for a nicotine fix. At least you knew where to find him.Beyond the cigarettes, though, you always knew you were working with a special talent, as I noted when word of his retirement was announced in January. For those of us who had spent our careers at CBS working with him, not to mention having grown up hearing him on one of the 5,000+ "In The News" segments he did, it was hard to imagine a broadcast day without him.But on Feb. 23, he called it a career, and was happy in retirement, by all accounts.A shame that his induction into the Radio Hall of Fame in less than three weeks will be posthumous. Then again, he was modest about his immense talent, more abashed than anything else about the tributes heaped upon him when he left the air.Now it's time to sit back and remember. Better yet, sit back and listen.You may not have known Chris Glenn, but if you hear some of his work, you'll know a lot.

P.S. Kudos to Brian Williams for a nice tribute to Chris on "NBC Nightly News."